The goal of the Graduate Training Program in Autoimmunity and Tolerance at Harvard Medical School is to recruit students of exceptional ability regardless of gender or ethnicity and provide these students with the best attainable training environment in which they may develop into independently thinking scientists, specializing in the field of immunology. The focus of their research will be relevant to the basic understanding of the underlying mechanisms of autoimmunity and aspects of immunobiology relevant to the therapy of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. This goal will be accomplished through formal course-work, laboratory rotations, literature discussions, discussions with faculty and mentored research. Students may choose from 46 faculty members for rotations and laboratory work in all major areas of immunology that are of relevance to autoimmunity. Policies and guidelines for graduate work are set by the Graduate Committee, a body of senior and junior faculty active in the teaching immunology program, in accordance with the Executive Committee in Immunology and those of the Division of Medical Sciences. Students' progress is monitored through the administration of a comprehensive qualifying examination, comprised of an oral presentation and a written proposal (NIH style post-doctoral application). This phase of the student's training -including coursework and rotations- is usually completed by the middle of the second year. Dissertation research is supervised by the dissertation advisor and its progress is monitored by a dissertation advisory committee. The experimental component usually requires 3-4 years to complete a body of work considered adequate for a written dissertation.